“There isn’t a denying we live in a vaping epidemic,” Professor David Pressure, chair of the BMA’s board of science, mentioned in feedback accompanying the report’s launch.
He famous one in 10 adults now vape, whereas calling the six-fold enhance in these aged between 11 and 17 who now vape “way more worrying”.
“As a physician, I perceive the function vapes can play in serving to individuals to give up smoking, however they haven’t any rightful place in our kids and younger individuals’s lives,” Pressure added.
“An business so clearly concentrating on kids with colors, flavours and branding, to push a product that may result in nicotine dependancy and potential additional harms can’t be allowed to occur any longer.”
The report recommends banning all disposable vape and non-tobacco flavour gross sales, in addition to utilizing imagery, colouring and branding on packaging and units.
That may mirror present restrictions on cigarettes.
The BMA additionally needs curbs on promoting and advertising, and guidelines retaining vapes behind retail counters and never on show.
In the meantime, it’s recommending authorities schooling campaigns on the risks of vapes to cut back their attraction, particularly amongst kids.
“We’re calling on ministers to take daring and courageous actions that can make an actual distinction,” Penelope Toff, the BMA’s public well being drugs committee head, mentioned.
A Division of Well being and Social Care spokesperson mentioned advertising vapes to kids and younger individuals was “completely unacceptable”.
The spokesperson mentioned deliberate laws will outlaw the observe whereas “regulating flavours, packaging, and altering how and the place they’re displayed in retailers”.
